This episode of The Sonic Lens dives into the golden age of mixtapes—when raw, unfiltered music ruled the internet and artists built legacies outside the industry machine. From LimeWire chaos to DatPiff drops, we explore how mixtapes shaped hip-hop, launched icons, and bridged the gap between physical and digital music culture.

Tracklist:

• Joey Bada$$ – Waves

• 50 Cent – What Up Gangsta

• Lil Wayne – Sky Is the Limit

• Meek Mill – Dreams and Nightmares (Intro)

• Nicki Minaj – Itty Bitty Piggy

• Future – March Madness

• Azealia Banks – Esta Noche

• Skepta – That’s Not Me

• Chance The Rapper - Acid Rain

• J. Cole – Return of Simba

• Nipsey Hussle - Checc Me Out

• A$AP Rocky - Brand New Guy

• Little Simz - Deranged